April 1, 2025
Is That My Hat?
Is That My Hat is a fun, engaging read for parents and young children.
About Is That My Hat?
Mole is struggling to find the perfect hat. After trying on big, spooky, and silly hats, Mole ends up creating the perfect hat for himself. Full of creativity and bright illustrations, this picture book is a charming and engaging read.
Our Thoughts
I love to read and I especially love reading with my children. These moments are incredibly special and important to hold on to. I really try hard to ensure that the books we are reading are geared towards their age, but also stimulating, engaging and most importantly fun.
With a new addition to our family we have been on the hunt to add to our collection of story time and bed time books. Is That My Hat? was a huge hit in our household. It had everything that makes a child’s book fun and engaging. The sentences had a great rhythm that allowed you to change the tone and pitch of your voice to really help draw a child into the story. It felt natural to speak the words to my child and change my facial expressions to bring the story to life. While my little one is quite a bit younger, a three to four year old would have a great time with prompting questions (what items would you choose for a hat, what makes that special, etc..) to help bring this story to life.
The illustrations are simple, with clean lines and bright colours that help to deliver the storyline without being distracting. I prefer these types of illustrations in children’s stories as I find this helps encourage connection to the story itself versus being caught up trying to follow distracting images page to page.
Is That My Hat? is a wonderful story for young children and will be a welcome addition to your home library.
You can purchase a copy of this book here.
About the Creator
Kevin Payne is an author, illustrator, and poet from Devon, England. He was an elementary school teacher for seventeen years and still loves working with children to develop their skills and love of words. Away from writing, Kevin plays soccer, writes songs, and is a local town crier. Oyez!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 1, 2025
Foster’s Leash
Follow along in Foster’s Leash to see rescue dog Pepper and her foster family navigate the foster process, the feelings that come with it, and how one leash makes all the difference.
About Foster’s Leash
Fostering animals isn’t easy. Suddenly, you’re living with a strange dog that needs your help. And once you’ve finally bonded, it’s time to say goodbye. But hard things are worth doing, especially when they change lives.
Follow along to see rescue dog Pepper and her foster family navigate the foster process, the feelings that come with it, and how one leash makes all the difference.
You can purchase a copy of this book on Mascot Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org and Books a Million.
The Giveaway!
Enter to win a Target gift card here.
About the Author
Sarah Sommer is an award-winning children’s picture book author who aims to tell stories that evoke emotion. As a former professional musician, Sarah values the way words, art, and stories come together in picture books. Having fostered many German shepherds, Sarah is passionate about animal advocacy and helping others. Sarah wrote this book to showcase the foster process and inspire others to open their hearts and homes.
You can connect with the author on their website, Facebook, Instagram and Goodreads.
Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this post, all opinions expressed are my own.
March 18, 2025
The Third Element
In The Third Element, join entrepreneur, engineer, and speaker Randy Lyman as he unpacks his own journey and shows us exactly how our emotional experiences—the pains, the joys, and everything in-between—are both our greatest obstacles and our most powerful assets.
About The Third Element
Sure, you may have the discipline—the drive, strength, and perseverance it takes to build the life of your dreams. Yes, you may have the intellect—the understanding that you have the power to shape your own reality and a foolproof, step-by-step plan to do so.
So why isn’t all the planning, hard work, and visualization working? And when you do finally start achieving success, why does it still feel like something’s missing?
When it comes to creating abundance or finding inner peace, most people assume that mind-body alignment is enough. But we’re still missing one critical element—the long-neglected key to manifestation.
Each and every one of us holds the answer to unlocking the life of our dreams: the power and limitless potential of the Third Element.
Join entrepreneur, engineer, and speaker Randy Lyman as he unpacks his own journey and shows us exactly how our emotional experiences—the pains, the joys, and everything in-between—are both our greatest obstacles and our most powerful assets.
And this book is going to show you how to use it.
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.
About the Author
Randy Lyman is a multi-millionaire entrepreneur, physicist, and author of The Third Element, a transformative guide to unlocking abundance through emotional mastery. With decades of experience building Inc. 500-recognized businesses and fostering cultures of belonging, Randy empowers leaders and individuals to align their emotions with their goals. He blends science, spirituality, and practical wisdom to create actionable strategies for growth, success, and fulfillment. Randy’s work is dedicated to helping others break through emotional barriers and live in alignment with their highest potential.
You can connect with Randy on their website, Instagram and Facebook.
The Giveaway
Enter to win a a gift box, including a signed copy of The Third Element (US and Canada) here.
Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this post, all opinions expressed are my own.
March 3, 2025
Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times®, Volume Two
This second volume of Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times®️ includes This Little Piggy, Rock-a-Bye Baby, Peter Peter Pickle Eater, and more.
About Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times®, Volume Two
What happens to the baby (owlet!!) rocking in their cradle in Rock-a-Bye-Baby? Will Old Mother Hubbard find something in the cupboard to give to her dog? And who (or what!) will be discovered in the tub in Rub a Dub Dub?
Read all about the beloved characters from traditional nursery rhymes in this endearing collection of nine updated rhymes that foster kindness, empathy, and gratitude! Coupled with discussion questions and emojis to support the social and emotion intelligence of preschoolers, each rhyme will entertain and educate a new generation of children.
This second volume of Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times®️ includes This Little Piggy, Rock-a-Bye Baby, Peter Peter Pickle Eater, Old Mother Hubbard, Diddle Diddle Dumpling, Rub a Dub Dub, Sing a Song of Six Cents, There Was a Nice Lady, and Tom Tom, the Plumber’s Son.
You can purchase a copy of this book on Mascot Books, Amazon, B&N, BAM, and Bookshop.org.
About the Author
Pam has been an early childhood music educator for over twenty-five years with a passion for singing, rhyming, reading stories, and making music with preschoolers.
When Pam noticed that some children seemed unfamiliar with traditional nursery rhymes, and that parents and teachers were avoiding them because of their outdated, dark, and inappropriate nature, she set out to update them. Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times® provide a memorable way to build language, musicality, and literacy through songs, stories and rhymes that nurture kindness, empathy, and gratitude. The inclusion of resources that support social and emotional learning (SEL) make it easy for parents and teachers to engage with the children they love.
The rhymes in the book can also be enjoyed as songs on the “Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times” album recorded by Raffi and Lindsay Munroe, on the EP recorded by Laurie Berkner titled “Laurie Berkner Sings Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times” and in videos on the Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times® Show on YouTube.
Pam has also made it her mission to share what she has learned about how to effectively integrate music and stories to support SEL and language skills in early childhood settings. She provides engaging and interactive sessions to early childhood teachers and caregivers to support their professional development and build their confidence in using music and rhymes with the children they care for. She is also available for school visits.
Aside from sharing stories and songs with young children, Pam loves dogs and dark chocolate. She lives in New York with her husband, and loves when her children, grandchildren, and granddogs come to visit!
You can connect with the author on their website, Facebook, X, and Instagram.
The Giveaway!
You can enter to win a copy of this book (US only) here.
Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this post, all opinions expressed are my own.
February 17, 2025
Book Tour: MIT OUT SOUND
In MIT OUT SOUND, amidst Apache holy grounds and the magic of day-for-night shooting, the lines between past and present blur and the flawed characters’ backstories intertwine into a tumultuous finale that exposes their hidden animosities, demons, and loves.
About MIT OUT SOUND
“It’s time to make a mess,” said Emily.
Would-be movie producer Emily Bennett didn’t believe the legend of a lost movie, starring James Dean and John Wayne. But when she meets two uncannily talented celebrity impersonators-Jimmy Riley and Tom “Duke” Manfredo, and stumbles upon the elusive film editor who stole the master negative of Showdown, it dispels her doubts, fills her with a courage she didn’t know she had, and she sets out to complete the movie.
But as Emily and her stars prepare for day one of shooting, they find themselves entangled in a complex love triangle with Oedipal undertones, mirroring their own past lives and off-screen dynamics. As doubts about their ruthless director, Solange Borugian, surface, Jimmy’s and Duke’s friendship is turned upside down, while Emily and her brother Ben, struggle with their own unresolved issues and are forced to confront their dying father.
On location in Arizona, amidst Apache holy grounds and the magic of day-for-night shooting, the lines between past and present blur and the flawed characters’ backstories intertwine into a tumultuous finale that exposes their hidden animosities, demons, and loves.
You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon, B&N, BAM, Bookshop, and Bookbub.
About the Author
When Rick Lenz retired as a stage and film actor (playing opposite Ingrid Bergman, John
Wayne, Lauren Bacall, Walter Matthau, Peter Sellers, etc.), his passion for drama refused to retire with him. Although he was an actor most of his life, he is also a seasoned writer.
His plays have been produced Off-Broadway, on PBS television, and in regional theatres across the country. Rick’s memoir North of Hollywood was called “masterful” by Writer’s
Digest. His first novel, The Alexandrite was named “one of the best books of the year” by Kirkus Reviews. Bret Easton Ellis called it “almost impossible to put down.” Booklife calls A Town Called Why, “An absorbing tale of mystery and revenge… nuanced … powerful.” Rick’s books have won several awards, including, Readers Views (first place), the Chanticleer Somerset Grand Prize for Literary, Contemporary and Mainstream Fiction, an IPPY Award, and a Foreword Book of the Year. Most recently, his time-travel love story Hello, Rest of My Life was a 2022 Silver Nautilus Book Award winner (fiction), and Eric Hoffer Award finalist (fiction).
He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Linda and an ever-shifting array of animals.
You can connect with the author on their website, X, Facebook, and Goodreads.
The Giveaway!
Enter to win a signed copy of MIT OUT SOUND (US only) here.
Disclosure: All opinions expressed are my own, I did not receive compensation for this post.